WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump is frustrated with Canada over trade talks that are not going well, White House adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday, after the U.S. president halted trade talks between the two countries.
“I think frustration has built up over time,” Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters at the White House. “It has been very difficult to negotiate with the Canadians.”
Asked for specific details, Hassett cited a “lack of flexibility.”
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Trump ended trade talks Thursday night, citing an ad from the province of Ontario that featured Republican icon Ronald Reagan discussing the virtues of free trade.
This Friday, the US president accused Canada of trying to influence the Supreme Court, which is preparing to consider a challenge to his global tariff agenda.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney removed most of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports imposed by his predecessor, and the two sides have been in talks for weeks over a deal for the steel and aluminum sectors.
“The fact is that the negotiations with the Canadians have not been very collegial,” Hassett previously said in an interview with Fox News.
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“They’re not doing well. I think the president is very frustrated. He wants a great deal with Canada, just like he wants a great deal with Mexico.”
